Magnetically actuatable projectile and target game

ABSTRACT

An amusement device comprising a hollow shell-like housing and having selected wall portions of magnetically-impermeable and of transparent structural material, at least one magneticallypermeable pellet loosely disposed within the housing and droppably releasable with a permanent magnet from a magneticallyimpermeable housing wall into open-ended receptacle-like targets disposed within the housing. The targets may be of different shapes and sizes and may be disposed on more than one wall of the housing. One target is adjustable to vary its distance from the opposite wall. There may be several pellets and these may be of different diameters.

United States Patent Welbourn [54] MAGNETICALLY ACTUATABLE PROJECTILE AND TARGET GAME [72] Inventor: Dale K. Welbourn, Neola, Iowa 51559 [22] Filed: May 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 41,274

[ 1 Apr. 4, 1972 Brasington ..273/98 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-George R. Nimmer [5 7] ABSTRACT An amusement device comprising a hollow shell-like housing and having selected wall portions of magnetically-impermeable and of transparent structural material, at least one magnetically-permeable pellet loosely disposed within the housing and droppably releasable with a permanent magnet from a magnetically-impermeable housing wall into open-ended receptacle-like targets disposed within the housing. The targets may be of different shapes and sizes and may be disposed on more than one wall of the housing. One target is adjustable to vary its distance from the opposite wall. There may be several pellets and these may be of different diameters.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ltl MAGNETICALLY ACTUATABLE PROJECTILE AND TARGET GAME It is the general object of this invention to provide a challenging and interesting amusement device for people of all ages. In particular this invention teaches basic magnetism principles to younger children, progressively develops visual depth perception and perspective for a wide range of human subjects, and provides challenging amusement and fascination for extended durations such as for children during motor trips.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, which will become more apparent as this description proceeds, the magnetically-actuatable amusement device comprises a hollow shell-like housing extending along a longitudinal housing-axis, wall portions of the housing being provided of a magnetically-impermeable material with wall regions being visually transparent to afford a view into the housing, at least one magnetically-impermeable preferably spherical pellet loosely disposed within the housing and being manipulatable by a permanent magnet means movably positioned externally of the housing, and at least one receptaclelike target including an open-end located within the housing and adapted to receive a said pellet falling from the direction of a magnetically-impermeable wall portion, more sophistocated type targets being appropriately shaped and spaced within the housing to tax the ability of higher skilled and progressing operators.

In the drawing, wherein like characters refer to like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical embodiment of the magnetically-actuatable amusement device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Magnetically-actuatable amusement device D comprises very generally of a hollow shell-like housing H with at least a portion of the shell-like walls being magnetically-impermeable such as transparent roof panel 13, at least one magnetically-impermeable pellet, e.g. 23, loosely disposed within housing H" and manipulatable with a permanent magnet means such as bar magnet M movably positioned externally of housing H, and at least one receptacle-like target, e.g. 31-36, including an open-end adapted to receive a said pellet from the direction of a magnetically-impermeable housing wall.

The hollow shell-like housing H" uprightly surrounds a vertical longitudinally extending housing-axis 11 and includes relatively thin wall portions of a magnetically-impermeable material. Herein, the term "magnetically-impermeable material is defined to mean those such as glass, wood, resins, etc., that will not appreciably shunt or divert therethrough magnetic lines of flux. The term "magnetically-permeable material is defined herein to mean those such as ferrous, cobaltous, and nickelous metals through which magnetic lines of flux are readily shunted or diverted. Housing H" herein includes a horizontal rectangular floor panel 12 transversely intersecting housing-axis 11. There .is a magnetically-impermeable transparent roof panel overlying the floor panel 12 and also intersecting housing-axis 11, the roof panel as 13 herein being rectangular. There are herein four rectangular side-panels 14-17 attached to the respective four lineal edges of floor panel 12 and extending uprightly therefrom to join with the four lineal edges of roof panel 13. Each of said interconnected side-panels 14-17, which collectively surround housing-axis 11, are provided of a magnetically-impermeable transparent material, such as glass, resinous Plexiglas, or the like. The individual side-panels include a front panel 14 positioned parallel to a rear panel 15, and a pair of parallel lateral panels 16 and 17 each perpendicularly intersecting panels 14 and 15. The entire housing might have an internal volume of about 30 cubic inches, and might weigh but a few ounces.

Loosely contained within housing H is at least one magnetically-permeable pellet, preferably as a plurality of spherica] iron balls 21-25. Each of said spherical ferrous balls 21-25 is individually free to rollably travel throughout the internal confines of housing H", as housing H" is manually tilted in various directions by the operator. Typically herein four of the iron balls 21-24 has a diameter of about 7 millimeters; one ball 25 has a smaller diameter of about 4 millimeters.

There is a permanent magnet, e.g. M", positioned externally of housing "H", said magnet having a permanently positioned North pole "N" and a permanently positioned South pole S. The permanent magnet has a sufficient degree of magnetic flux density that, when a selected magneticallypermeable pellet such as 21-25 loosely rests upon a magnetically-impermeable wall portion of housing H", the placing of said magnet on the outward surface of the same wall will attract the selected pellet thereto. Thereaftencautious movement of the magnet along the outside surface of'the housing magnetically-impermeable walls will cause corresponding movement of the selected pellet along the inside surface of the same walls, until the magnet is withdrawn from the housing (as indicated in arrow direction A) whereupon the pellet will fall as indicated in phantom line for pellet 23 in FIG. 2. The magnet M herein might be a tapered bar magnet having the North pole at the broader end and having the South pole at the narrower end thereof. 7

The permanent magnet might be kept in close proximity to housing H" during unoperated periods of amusement device D. Herein such keeping means comprises an upright resiliently expandable resinous pouch 28 attached to an outer surface of .a housing panel, e.g. 17. The narrower end "S" of magnet M" is thrust downwardly into the upper open end of elastic pouch 28 to accomplish interim storage of the magnet.-

There is at least one target, e.g. 31-36, for the one or more magnetically-permeable pellets, each said target includingan open-end surrounding a target-axis, said target open-end being adapted to receive a pellet-from the direction of a magnetically-impermeable housing wall along the target-axis. For example, cup-like target 32 having target-axis 32A is adapted to receive a pellet along 32A from panel 17; cup-like target 35 having target-axis 35A is adapted to receive a pellet along 35A from roof panel 13; circularly tubular target 34 having targetaxis 34A is adapted to receive a pellet along 34A from roof panel 13; and circularly tubular target 36 having a target-axis along 11is adapted to receive a pellet along 11 from roof panel 13. It can be seen that the several said targets are appropriately sparsely spaced within housing H so that a clear unobstructed pathway exists for a pellet dropping along any one target-axis from a magnetically-impermeable wall into the target open-end. Herein three cup-like targets 31, 32, and 35 are fixedly attached, as by adhesive, to the inner surfaces of selected housing walls. It can be seen that the three targets 31, 32, and 35, having a semi-spherical cup-like receptacle with a depth less the diameter of balls 21-24 would offer more difficulty to the operator than would the relatively-deep circularly tubular targets 33, 34, and 36.

The three targets array extending upwardly from floor panel 12 offer an interesting challenge to an operator peering downwardly through transparent roof panel 13. The upper open-end of target 36 is nearer to roof 13 and easier to negotiate with a magnetically released pellet than are the lower open ends of targets 34 and 35. Shallow-depth target 35 offers more difficulty than the deeper (though downwardly more remote) tubular target 34.

Circularly tubular target 36 is preferably of extended length surrounding housing-axis 11 and having a threaded outer wall, a closed lower end 37 positioned externally of housing H", and an upper open-end 38 disposed within the housing. Tubular member 36 passes through floor panel 12 and is threadedly engaged therewith at threaded opening 12A. Thus, the upper open-end is of adjustable height along housing-axis ll appropriate to the skill of the operator, while those portions adjacent to the closed lower end 37 below 12 offer a handle means for the amusement device. Tubular member 36 might include means for preventing wholly withdrawing same from housing floor panel 12 to preclude loss of pellets 21-25.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the magnetically-actuatable amusement device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A magnetically-actuatable amusement device comprismg:

A. A hollow shell-like housing extending along and surrounding a longitudinal housing-axis, said shell-like housing comprising a plurality of solid panels to provide walls defining the internal volumetric space for the housing, said solid panels including a floor panel and a roof panel both transversely intersecting the longitudinal housingaxis and also including a plurality of side-panels substantially parallel to the housing axis and being interconnected so that said solid side-panels together completely surround the longitudinal housing-axis, wall portions of said shell-like housing including the solid roof panel and the solid side-panels being provided of a magnetically-impermeable and visually transparent solid structural material to permit the operator to view into the internal volumetric space ofsaid hollow shell-like housing;

B. At least one magnetically-permeable pellet freely movably disposed within the said hollow shell-like housing and against the several panels thereof; and

C. A plurality of targets for the said magnetically-permeable pellet attached to respective solid side-panels, said targets including an open-ended receptacle portion surrounding a target-axis, said receptacle open-end being disposed within the housing and facing toward an opposite magnetically-impermeable wall portion of the housing, whereby the receptacle is adapted to receive a said pellet from the direction of a magnetically-impermeable wall.

2. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the hollow shell-like housing comprises six panels, four of said six panels being as transparent magnetically-impermeable side-panels attached to a rectangular floor panel and extending uprightly therefrom whereby said four side-panels collectively surround the housing-axis, said four side-panels including a front panel disposed substantially parallel to a rear panel and further including a pair of substantially parallel lateral panels; and wherein there is a plurality of targets, the target-axis for at least one of said plurality of targets substantially perpendicularly intersecting a pair of said parallel side-panels, the targets being appropriately sparsely spaced within said housing that a clear unobstructed pathway exists for the pellet between the target open-end facing the magnetically-impermeable wall portion.

3. The amusement device of claim 2 wherein there is a plurality of targets attached to the floor panel and extending upwardly therefrom toward the roof panel, including a circularly tubular target, the open-end of one of said targets being of higher elevation and thus closer to the roof panel to offer a choice of difficulty to the operator when magnetically releasing a pellet from the transparent roof panel; wherein the permanent magnet is an elongate tapered bar magnet having a North pole at one end and having a South pole at the other end; wherein the external side of one of the lateral panels carries an upright resiliently expandable pouch adapted to securely removably receive the narrower end of the elongate bar magnet; and wherein there is a plurality of spherical ferrous pellets loosely disposed within the housing, at least two of said pellets differing from each other in diametric dimension.

4. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the depth of at least one target is less than the diameter of said at least one spherical ferrous pellet.

5 The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the hollow shell-like housing comprises a floor panel transversely intersecting the housing-axis and a ma netically-impermeable transparent roof panel intersecting t e housing-axis loftrly above the floor panel; wherein there is a plurality of targets, at least one of said targets being a circularly tubular target passing through the floor panel and having an open-end positioned within the housing between the roof and floor panels and having a closed end disposed externally of said housing, said tubular target being threaded at the cylindrical outer wall thereof and threadedly engaged with the floor panel whereby the open-end thereof is of adjustable distance with respect to the roof panel to offer a choice of difficulty to the operator when magnetically releasing a pellet from the roof panel and to provide a handle means for manipulating the amusement device housing. 

1. A magnetically-actuatable amusement device comprising: A. A hollow shell-like housing extending along and surrounding a longitudinal housing-axis, said shell-like housing comprising a plurality of solid panels to provide walls defining the internal volumetric space for the housing, said solid panels including a floor panel and a roof panel both transversely intersecting the longitudinal housing-axis and also including a plurality of side-panels substantially parallel to the housingaxis and being interconnected so that said solid side-panels together completely surround the longitudinal housing-axis, wall portions of said shell-like housing including the solid roof panel and the solid side-panels being provided of a magnetically-impermeable and visually transparent solid structural material to permit the operator to view into the internal volumetric space of said hollow shell-like housing; B. At least one magnetically-permeable pellet freely movably disposed within the said hollow shell-like housing and against the several panels thereof; and C. A plurality of targets for the said magnetically-permeable pellet attached to respective solid side-panels, said targets including an open-ended receptacle portion surrounding a target-axis, said receptacle open-end being disposed within the housing and facing toward an opposite magnetically-impermeable wall portion of the housing, whereby the receptacle is adapted to receive a said pellet from the direction of a magneticallyimpermeable wall.
 2. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the hollow shell-like hoUsing comprises six panels, four of said six panels being as transparent magnetically-impermeable side-panels attached to a rectangular floor panel and extending uprightly therefrom whereby said four side-panels collectively surround the housing-axis, said four side-panels including a front panel disposed substantially parallel to a rear panel and further including a pair of substantially parallel lateral panels; and wherein there is a plurality of targets, the target-axis for at least one of said plurality of targets substantially perpendicularly intersecting a pair of said parallel side-panels, the targets being appropriately sparsely spaced within said housing that a clear unobstructed pathway exists for the pellet between the target open-end facing the magnetically-impermeable wall portion.
 3. The amusement device of claim 2 wherein there is a plurality of targets attached to the floor panel and extending upwardly therefrom toward the roof panel, including a circularly tubular target, the open-end of one of said targets being of higher elevation and thus closer to the roof panel to offer a choice of difficulty to the operator when magnetically releasing a pellet from the transparent roof panel; wherein the permanent magnet is an elongate tapered bar magnet having a North pole at one end and having a South pole at the other end; wherein the external side of one of the lateral panels carries an upright resiliently expandable pouch adapted to securely removably receive the narrower end of the elongate bar magnet; and wherein there is a plurality of spherical ferrous pellets loosely disposed within the housing, at least two of said pellets differing from each other in diametric dimension.
 4. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the depth of at least one target is less than the diameter of said at least one spherical ferrous pellet.
 5. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the hollow shell-like housing comprises a floor panel transversely intersecting the housing-axis and a magnetically-impermeable transparent roof panel intersecting the housing-axis loftily above the floor panel; wherein there is a plurality of targets, at least one of said targets being a circularly tubular target passing through the floor panel and having an open-end positioned within the housing between the roof and floor panels and having a closed end disposed externally of said housing, said tubular target being threaded at the cylindrical outer wall thereof and threadedly engaged with the floor panel whereby the open-end thereof is of adjustable distance with respect to the roof panel to offer a choice of difficulty to the operator when magnetically releasing a pellet from the roof panel and to provide a handle means for manipulating the amusement device housing. 